Couplings for expandable tubular

ABSTRACT

An expandable tubular for use in a wellbore includes: a pin formed at a first longitudinal end of the expandable tubular; a box formed at a second longitudinal end of the expandable tubular; a tubular body connecting the pin and the box; and an elastomeric seal disposed in a groove of the box. Each of the pin and box has: a torque shoulder; and a thread. The pin has an asymmetric protrusion formed on an inner surface thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to couplings for an expandable tubular.

Description of the Related Art

In the oil and gas exploration and production industry, expandable tubing has been developed and has a variety of uses. Expandable tubing offers a number of advantages over conventional borehole tubing, as the expandable tubing can be run into a borehole in an unexpanded state and subsequently expanded downhole. This allows the tubing to be run through existing tubing and then expanded to a larger diameter within the borehole.

FIG. 1A illustrates a connection 1 between two expandable tubulars before expansion thereof. FIG. 1B illustrates the connection 1 after expansion. The expandable tubing sections typically include a male threaded portion (pin) 2 p and a female threaded portion (box) 2 b at opposite ends, for joining adjacent sections of tubing together end to end. A seal 3 is engaged with the box 2 b, thereby providing a fluid-tight seal. However, upon expansion of the connection, plastic deformation of the seal-groove area may cause the area to sag as shown in FIG. 1B. The seal 3 then contracts into the sagged base, thereby disengaging from the box 2 b. Disengagement of the seal compromises the sealing integrity of the connection during and after expansion.

There exists a need in the art for an expandable connection which maintains sealing integrity before, during, and after expansion.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to couplings for an expandable tubular. In one embodiment, an expandable tubular for use in a wellbore includes: a pin formed at a first longitudinal end of the expandable tubular; a box formed at a second longitudinal end of the expandable tubular; a tubular body connecting the pin and the box; and an elastomeric seal disposed in a groove of the box. Each of the pin and box has: a torque shoulder; and a thread. The pin has an asymmetric protrusion formed on an inner surface thereof.

In another embodiment, an expandable tubular connection for use in a wellbore includes: a pin made from a ductile steel or ductile corrosion resistant alloy and having a torque shoulder, a thread, a seal groove, a seal receptacle, a metallic seal face, and an asymmetric protrusion formed on an inner surface thereof; an elastomeric seal disposed in the pin seal groove; a box made from a ductile steel or ductile corrosion resistant alloy and having a torque shoulder, a thread, a seal groove, a seal receptacle, and a metallic seal face; and an elastomeric seal disposed in the box seal groove. A second end of the protrusion is adjacent to the box seal groove. A first end of the first protrusion is adjacent to an end of the box metallic seal face.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1A illustrates a connection between two prior art expandable tubulars before expansion thereof.

FIG. 1B illustrates the connection after expansion.

FIG. 2 illustrates an expandable tubular, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A illustrates a connection between two of the expandable tubulars.

FIG. 3B is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4 illustrates expansion of the connection.

FIG. 5A illustrates the connection after expansion. FIG. 5B is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 illustrates a protector sleeve usable with the connection, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

FIG. 2 illustrates an expandable tubular 5, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3A illustrates a connection 5 c between two 5 u,b (FIG. 4) of the expandable tubulars 5. FIG. 3B is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 3A. Each expandable tubular 5 may be a solid expandable tubular, such as casing or liner. Alternatively, each tubular 5 may be perforated, such as a slotted liner or a base of a multi-layer expandable sand screen.

Each expandable tubular 5 may include the pin 6 formed at an upper longitudinal end thereof, the box 7 formed at a lower longitudinal end thereof, a body 8 connecting the pin and the box, and one or more seals, such as an o-ring 9 p carried by the pin and an o-ring 9 b carried by the box. The pin 6, the box 7, and the body 8 may each be made of a ductile material capable of sustaining plastic deformation, such as a metal or alloy (i.e., steel). The seals 9 p,b may each be made from an elastomeric material, such as an elastomer, an engineering thermoplastic, or a copolymer thereof. The pin 6, box 7, and body 8 may be integrally formed from a blank tubular (not shown). The box 7 may be formed by expanding, such as by swaging, an end of the blank tubular. The swaged end may then be stress relieved and the box profile machined into an inner surface of the blank tubular.

Alternatively, the pin and/or box may be welded to the body. Alternatively, the metal or alloy may be corrosion resistant, such as stainless steel or a nickel based alloy.

The expandable tubulars 5 u,b may be connected together at a surface of a wellbore according to normal stab-in and threading procedures to form a string of expandable tubing. The stab-in procedures can be performed with tubulars arranged in a pin up and a box down configuration. The made up expandable tubulars 5 u,b may then be deployed into the wellbore to a desired depth on a workstring 20 (FIG. 4). The workstring 20 may include a string of drill pipe 20 p and an expander, such as a cone 20 e.

Alternatively, each tubular 5 may have pins at both ends thereof and a separate coupling (not shown) having two box ends may be used to assemble the tubulars 5 u,b. Alternatively, the tubulars may be connected in a box up and pin down configuration. Alternatively, the expander may be a rotary expansion tool having pressure actuated rollers. Alternatively, coiled tubing may be used instead of the drill pipe.

The connection 5 c may include the pin 6 b of the lower tubular 5 b screwed together with the box 7 u of the upper tubular 5 u and one or more extrusion gaps, such as a leading gap 18 f and a trailing gap 18 t. Each box 7 may include a metallic seal face 10 b, a seal groove 11 b, a thread 12 b, a seal receptacle 13 b, a torque shoulder 14 b, and an extrusion taper 17 b. Each pin 6 may be complementary to the respective box 7 and may include a metallic seal face 10 p, a seal groove 11 p, a thread 12 p, a seal receptacle 13 p, a torque shoulder 14 p, a protrusion 15, and an extrusion taper 17 p.

The metallic seal face 10 p may be formed in an outer surface of the pin 6 and be located at end thereof distal from the body 8. The metallic seal face 10 b may be formed in an inner surface of the box 7 and may form an end thereof adjacent to the body 8. The seal faces 10 b,p may be sized to form a radial interference fit during makeup for providing pressure integrity during deployment into the wellbore and during expansion. Each metallic seal face 10 b,p may taper such that the respective pin and box thickness increases from the respective distal end thereof the toward the body 8.

Each torque shoulder 14 b,p may be formed in an outer surface of the respective box 7 and pin 6 and be perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubulars 5 u,b. The torque shoulder 14 b of the box 7 may be located at an end thereof distal from the body 8 and the torque shoulder 14 p of the pin 6 may form an end thereof adjacent to the body 8. External location of the torque shoulders 14 b,p may allow for visual inspection of the engaged shoulders after makeup.

The pin groove 11 p may be formed in an outer surface of the pin 6 and located between the torque shoulder 14 p and the thread 12 p. The box groove 11 b may be formed in an inner surface of the box 7 and located between the thread 12 b and the metallic seal face 10 b. The box groove 11 b may further have a trapezoidal cross section to retain the o-ring 9 b therein. The pin receptacle 13 p may be formed in an outer surface of the pin 6 and located between the metallic seal face 10 p and the thread 12 p. The box receptacle 13 b may be formed in an inner surface of the box 7 and located between the torque shoulder 14 b and the thread 12 b.

Each thread 12 b,p may have a tapered form such that the respective pin and box thickness increases from a respective end thereof distal from the body 8 toward the body. The tapered threadform may facilitate stabbing and makeup and maximize compressive and/or tensile strength of the connection 5 c. Each thread 12 b,p may also have a hooked tension flank form to discourage separation during expansion and deployment into the wellbore. Each thread 12 b,p may also have a multi-start form, such as a double start 16 a,b form, to reduce wear on the o-rings 9 b,p during makeup of the connection 5 c.

The extrusion taper 17 p may be formed in an outer surface of the pin 6 and located between the seal receptacle 13 p and the thread 12 p. The extrusion taper 17 b may be formed in an inner surface of the box 7 and located between the groove 11 b and the thread 12 b. Each extrusion taper 17 b,p may taper such that the respective pin and box thickness increases from the respective distal end thereof the toward the body 8. The leading extrusion gap 18 f may be formed between the pin extrusion taper 17 p and the box seal groove 11 b. The trailing extrusion gap 18 t may be formed between an engaged portion of the metallic seal faces 10 b,p and the box seal groove 11 b.

The protrusion 15 may be formed on an inner surface of the pin 6 located adjacent to the trailing extrusion gap 18 t and adjacent to the distal end thereof. A lower/leading end of the protrusion 15 may be aligned with a lower end of the metallic seal face 10 p and a centerline of the box groove 11 b. An upper/trailing end of the protrusion 15 may be aligned with a lower end of the box seal face 10 b. The protrusion may be asymmetric and formed by a leading taper 15 f, a mid taper 15 m, and a trailing taper 15 t. The leading and trailing tapers 15 f,t may each be sharp and the mid taper 15 m may be gradual. The mid taper 15 m may have a length substantially greater than respective lengths of the leading and trailing tapers 15 f,t. The trailing taper 15 t may taper such that the pin thickness increases from the distal end thereof toward the body 8 and the mid and leading tapers 15 f,m may taper such that the pin thickness decreases from the distal end thereof toward the body 8. Alternatively, the leading taper 15 f may be omitted.

FIG. 4 illustrates expansion of the connection 5 c. When operated, the cone 20 e may radially expand the tubulars 5 u,b (including the connection 5 c) to a larger diameter. The cone 20 e may be forced upward 21 in the wellbore by applying pressure below the cone and/or pulling on the drill pipe 20 p attached to the cone. A dart (not shown) may be coupled to the cone 20 e to provide sealing engagement with an inner wall of the expandable tubulars 5 u,b. Alternatively, the cone 20 e may be forced through the expandable string solely by pulling on the drill pipe 5 p from the surface. When the expansion tool reaches the connection 5 c between the tubulars 5 u,b, the pin 6 b of the lower tubular 5 b is driven into the box 7 u of the upper tubular 5 u.

FIG. 5A illustrates the connection after expansion. FIG. 5B is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 5A. The metallic seal faces 10 b,p may disengage during expansion. Even though the protrusion 15 is located adjacent to the trailing gap 18 t, the protrusion serves to maintain the integrity of the leading gap 18 f (portion adjacent to the box seal groove 11 b) during and after expansion. Although the trailing gap 18 t is further opened by expansion, unidirectional sealing by the box o-ring 9 b is maintained. The box o-ring 9 b is still effective for sealing against higher pressure in the tubing string bore than the wellbore annulus. The pin o-ring 9 p serves to seal against an opposite pressure differential of higher pressure in the wellbore annulus than the tubing string bore. Therefore, bidirectional sealing capability of the connection 5 c is maintained during and after expansion.

Alternatively, for some applications, a unidirectional seal may be sufficient and the pin o-ring and groove may be omitted. Alternatively, the metallic seal faces of the pin and box may be omitted.

The connection 5 c may be especially beneficial for larger expandable tubulars, i.e. having a nominal size greater than or equal to six inches.

FIG. 6 illustrates a protector, such as a sleeve 22, usable with the connection, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The protective sleeve 22 may be connected to the box 7, such as by one or more fasteners 23. Alternatively, the sleeve may be connected to the box by an adhesive or by thermal fit. Alternatively, the sleeve may have a tab mechanically trapped between the pin and box during makeup. Alternatively, the protector may be an applied coating whose surface hardness may or may not be harder than the surface hardness of the box.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An expandable tubular for use in a wellbore, comprising: a pin formed at a first longitudinal end of the expandable tubular; a box formed at a second longitudinal end of the expandable tubular; a tubular body connecting the pin and the box; and an elastomeric seal disposed in a groove of the box, wherein: each of the pin and box has: a torque shoulder; and a thread; and the pin has an asymmetric protrusion formed on an inner surface thereof.
 2. The tubular of claim 1, wherein a form of each thread is tapered and hooked tension flanked.
 3. The tubular of claim 2, wherein each form is also multi-start.
 4. The tubular of claim 1, wherein: the torque shoulder of the box is located at an end thereof distal from the body, the torque shoulder of the pin forms an end thereof adjacent to the body.
 5. The tubular of claim 4, wherein the pin, the box, and the body are made from a ductile steel or ductile corrosion resistant alloy.
 6. The tubular of claim 5, wherein: each of the pin and box further has a metallic seal face, the metallic seal face of the pin is located at an end thereof distal from the body, the metallic seal face of the box forms an end thereof adjacent to the body.
 7. The tubular of claim 6, wherein the groove of the box is located between the box thread and the box metallic seal face.
 8. The tubular of claim 7, wherein: the pin further has a receptacle for receiving the elastomeric seal, and the pin receptacle is located between the pin metallic seal face and the pin thread.
 9. The tubular of claim 8, wherein: the asymmetric protrusion is located adjacent to the distal pin end, the pin further has an extrusion taper formed in an outer surface thereof and located between the pin thread and the pin receptacle, and the box further has an extrusion taper formed in an inner surface thereof and located between the box thread and the box groove.
 10. An expandable tubular connection, comprising: a first tubular of claim 9; and a second tubular of claim 9, wherein: the first pin is screwed together with the second box, a first extrusion gap is formed between the first pin extrusion taper and the second box seal groove, and a second extrusion gap is formed between an engaged portion of the metallic seal faces and the second box seal groove.
 11. The connection of claim 10, wherein: the first protrusion is located adjacent to the second extrusion gap, a second end of the first protrusion is adjacent to the second box seal groove, and a first end of the first protrusion is adjacent to an end of the second box metallic seal face.
 12. The tubular of claim 4, further comprising an elastomeric seal disposed in a groove of the pin, wherein: the groove of the pin is located between the pin torque shoulder and the pin thread, the box further has a receptacle for receiving the elastomeric seal of the pin, and the box receptacle is located between the box torque shoulder and the box thread.
 13. The tubular of claim 4, wherein the torque shoulders are externally visible.
 14. The tubular of claim 1, wherein: the protrusion is located adjacent to an end of the pin distal from the body, the protrusion has a first end taper, a mid taper, and a second end taper, the end tapers are sharp and the mid taper is gradual, and a length of the mid taper is substantially greater than lengths of the end tapers.
 15. The tubular of claim 1, further comprising a protector disposed along an outer surface of the box.
 16. The tubular of claim 1, wherein: each of the pin and box further has a metallic seal face, the metallic seal face of the pin is located at an end thereof distal from the body, the metallic seal face of the box forms an end thereof adjacent to the body.
 17. The tubular of claim 16, wherein the groove of the box is located between the box thread and the box metallic seal face.
 18. The tubular of claim 17, wherein: the pin further has a receptacle for receiving the elastomeric seal, and the pin receptacle is located between the pin metallic seal face and the pin thread.
 19. An expandable tubular connection for use in a wellbore, comprising: a pin made from a ductile steel or ductile corrosion resistant alloy and having a torque shoulder, a thread, a seal groove, a seal receptacle, a metallic seal face, and an asymmetric protrusion formed on an inner surface thereof; an elastomeric seal disposed in the pin seal groove; a box made from a ductile steel or ductile corrosion resistant alloy and having a torque shoulder, a thread, a seal groove, a seal receptacle, and a metallic seal face; and an elastomeric seal disposed in the box seal groove, wherein. a second end of the protrusion is adjacent to the box seal groove, and a first end of the first protrusion is adjacent to an end of the box metallic seal face.
 2016. The connection of claim 19, wherein: the protrusion has a first end taper, a mid taper, and a second end taper, the end tapers are sharp and the mid taper is gradual, and a length of the mid taper is substantially greater than lengths of the end tapers. 